Rainbow in the Sky
by Poseidon's Chickadee
Summary: [Hiatus]Three young children search in the dead of night for sanctuary in everyone's favorite Pennsylvania town. CHAPTER THREE is UP!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own anybody or anything except the people in this prologue. Even the title is not mine, it belongs to Ziggy Marley.

I really hope you enjoy this story, it has been in my head for a LONG time and had to be rewritten and remolded because Spencer had to die on me and the OPP had to go and show up dramatic sigh I have tried to make it (will try to make it) as close to the current storyline as possible but many branches of this will go AU. Just warning you ahead of time.

That said, read on. Enjoy. And review if ya do:-)

* * *

"But Rina, I'm tiii-erd!" The muffled small voice whined.

"I know honey, I know." Katerina murmured into the hair of the three year old in her arms.

"When can we stoooo-op?!" A sniffle was added to the whine and the little girl burrowed her face further into Katerina's shoulder. She was hot, and sticky, hungry and obviously irritable. She wanted for them to rest and she wanted them to rest NOW.

"Soon," The teenager tried to reassure the toddler by removing sticky pieces of dark hair from side of her face. The heat was unbearable but she didn't dare and try to move Delilah, the little girl, from her arms; despite of her killer grip around Katerina's neck. The little girl had lost so many things in her short years: her birth parents in a car accident, nearly her sense of sight and the use of her legs in that same accident, and now the only home she had known in the past year and a half. It was no wonder the child cleaved onto anyone who was kind to her, and Katerina had been like a big sister to her since the moment she had moved into their foster home. Rina knew how Delilah could get just from when Rina stepped out of the room, in the child's current mood trying to put her down would be very bad indeed. "Soon, baby girl. Real soon. We'll stop by someplace and get something to eat, then see if we can find someplace to stay. And then we'll sleep aaaalll night long."

"All night?" Asked the tiny trembling voice and it was all Katerina could do not to squeeze onto her little sister tighter.

"Yep, all night. I'll even let you take the bed all to yourself. Me and Joe'll take the floor." Because any bed she could afford would never be able to fit the three of them.

This seemed to settle Delilah a bit, however, it riled Joseph, their nine-year old 'brother' up pretty well. The redheaded boy turned and narrowed angry eyes at both his sisters. He was just as tired and hungry as Delilah and much more irritated with his little sister because _he_ had had to walk the entire time, and _he _had to deal with her whining. "Damn it, why do I have to take the floor too?! It isn't like she's even set her foot dow-"

"Joseph Daniel! You best behave yourself." Katerina growled softly, when she felt lips tremble against her neck. The last thing they needed was a huffy Joey and a crying Del. Damn it was the last thing SHE needed. But she wouldn't think like that. They needed her to be fair, strong, and unselfish. They needed their big sister. Even if she was as clueless as they were. "What did I tell you about cussin? Watch your danged mouth!"

Dark blue-green eyes widened but his scowl was still firmly in place.

"As if 'danged''s any better."

"Boy don-"

"Don't sass you. Yeah, yeah, yeah." He huffed, marching away and ahead of them.

Katerina clenched her jaw to keep her tongue in place. Joe wasn't disobedient unless he was in a foul mood. In fact her little brother was freakishly in love with rules and good manners. She didn't know where he got it since he had been in the system since he was born, then again that just may be the reason why. She had yet to quite figure it out and she never asked, probably never would. She loved Joe just the way he was, except when he was giving her an attitude. During those times they got into loud and horrible arguments-of course they always made up-but the arguments were still bad. That was why it grated her so much not to say anything at the moment, little brat thinking he could get the best of her. Nevertheless, she was going to let it go. He was just as tired and hungry as she and Delilah and she knew the fact that he couldn't do anything about it was making him even more irritable. Ever since they'd ended up under the same foster family a year and a half ago he had made it his responsibility to "watch over his girls" (mainly her and Delilah but also their foster mother when he could). It didn't matter that she was older than him by a good seven years; he always was taking care of her. Always.

And not knowing where they were going to sleep or what they were going to eat bothered him ten times more than it bothered her. Not knowing wasn't taking very good care of his girls, if at all. It probably made him feel like a failure. It was one thing Joseph hated, feeling like a failure, their foster father had made him feel like it more than enough times.

"Joey's mad at me, in't he?"

Katerina almost cursed when she heard the tears in the voice that sounded even smaller than before. "Naw baby girl. You know Joe, always having to nitpick everythin' or else he isn't happy."

Delilah nodded against Katerina's shoulder. "He can nitpick me if he wanted."

Letting out a small surprised snort of laughter curiosity coloring her tone the teenager asked,"I thought you had enough of that?"

It was all Katerina could do not to laugh louder. She could practically_ feel_ Delilah rolling her big grey eyes against her neck. "As if that weren't ever'nuf for Joe."

Katerina giggled. "As if anything is ever enough for Joe."

"I heard that!"

"We know!" Both his sisters hollered back at him.

Katerina knew by the slight pause in his steps and the quick shake of his head that Joe was fighting off a smile. See, never mad at each other for too long.

Which was good, Katerina thought as her smile faded slightly, because it had helped them survive. Survive the system, in Delilah's case survive leg therapy, and of course survive their foster father ... or daddy as he liked to be called, Randall 'effin Flack.

Respected sheriff of a small southern mid-west town. Tall, good-looking, disarming smile, and likes them under twelve. Boy. Girl. Doesn't matter. As long as they were weaker than him. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. Think they reminded him of his beloved wife. Not the under twelve part, just the weaker part. Katerina knew it was mean what she was thinking and Joe would probably fall into another sulk if he knew that she was. For some strange reason he adored that woman; Katerina thought she was spineless. Thought she was worse than husband because she knew what he was and she did and said nothing, to Katerina her foster mother was just as sick as her dearest Randy. And she knew that the other woman knew that she felt that way that was one of the other reasons that they had had to leave.

Another, the most important, was that Randall was turning his eyes to Delilah. Had been for the past six months but had never done anything because Delilah slept between them, between herself and Joey. When she was awake, she was always with either herself or Joe. Never out of their sights. Ever. Not even for school, since they were home schooled. You have to be careful of the bruises you give if your kids go to real school, but for home schooling you just keep it under the clothing. Many times not even then.

Six months. For six months they'd managed to keep Randall away. But the ratass was a real big man. And there was only so many broken bones Joe could take without the doctors being suspicious (Leticia, her foster mother, seemed to actually care about Joe ... somehow and that was the one thing she defied her husband in. Taking Joe to the hospital. Why? Katerina didn't want to think about it, the reasons were never pretty). Also she was going to be eighteen sooner than she'd like, all Randall had to do was bide his time and then kick her out. What could she do then? No one in town would believe her. Nope, she was little, sad, mentally ill Katerina biting the hand that nurtured her. Yeah, funny how people believed what they wanted.

Oooo! Just thinking about it made her angry. Just had her beyond livid. And grateful that they had made it out of that house, out of that town for good. Though, she was also scared. She knew that there were people out there worse than Randall and she had put her siblings, inadvertently of course, into their path. Who they were she didn't know but they could be anywhere. That really scared her but not as much as Randall did.

Out of the pan and into the fire. Or could it be from the fire and into the pan?

She didn't know. She really didn't, she was just so ... she was just-

"Llanveiw." Joe's excited voice shook her out of her confusing, fearful thoughts. "We made it sissy, we made it! We're here in Llanveiw."

"Fin-damn-ally." Delilah's little voice muttered.

Katerina blinked and then she shot Joe a look only to receive a sheepish one in return. Holding each others gazes for a long moment they ended up dissolving into giggles. Slightly hysterical giggles of relief, fear, tiredness, and yes, even happiness.

They had actually made it. With no problems and still a hundred fifty dollars to spare.

Fin-damn-ally.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own One Life to Live nor the characters in it. The only thing that are mine are this storyline and the young ones :-)

Author Note: The timing of this is before Kirk Harmon is unjustly murdered.

If you haven't been keeping up, I am sorry for giving that away. If you have, don't worry this will catch up but remember it WILL become AU soon enough.

* * *

Chapter One

John McBain was tired and angry. Frowning hard into his scotch John pathetically realized that all he had been lately was tired and angry. However, that was just too damn much emotional thinking for him at the moment. Hell it was too damn emotional thinking for him ever, he wasn't sure what had brought it on. He knew he could pinpoint it to around the time of his car accident and Natalie lying to him and relying more on Vincent Jones than she did on his counsel. It could have been before that but that would have meant he had been wrong, that he had been missing signs. That was the last thing that he wanted to admit or ever realize. That his dreams of a Natalie and a little boy that was just like him but with her inquisitiveness and a little girl that was just like her but with his stalwartness, his dreams of peace and a family would never, ever happen. He didn't want to realize that the fact that those dreams could never come true were his fault. No. Nope. Better to blame it on Natalie, Vincent, hell even Truman. Wouldn't surprise him that the ass was ruining his life beyond the grave and John wasn't even superstitious. The whole relying on things he didn't see didn't fly with him; he didn't buy it. He liked cold, hard facts. Those things never betrayed you. Like the situation with Marty and ... Laurence (he really didn't like thinking their names together). There were cold hard facts that Miles was involved with Truman's murder and Manning's disappearance. And he was getting closer and closer to the proof second by second, even if the dots didn't seem to connect properly.

Grabbing his glass he downed it in one gulp, the ice clinking against his teeth, he savored the coolness of the burn. The burn, the facts, they kept him from thinking about his emotions. Natalie leaving, Marty being there, Cole not trusting him enough to tell him the truth, the fact that he was tired and angry and cold, and people he cared about were hurting because of some sadistic rascist arsonist. And he can't help but share Bo's feeling that they got the wrong guy, nevertheless he doesn't think about it. That case is too emotional for him. This case isn't. Sure he likes Marty but he doesn't LIKE like her (John orders another glass, he was starting to sound like a twelve year old in his own mind) and so what if Cole doesn't trust him. This isn't what it is about. It's about cold hard facts. About righting his wrong and making sure his emotions do not get in the way and another innocent doesn't get sent to jail. Though, John thinks as he looks into his drink again and frowning even harder than before, Vicker's is by far an innocent and if the man kept getting in his way he'd lock him in a cell for ... for .. oh, for something.

John places the glass down and steps away from the bar after paying the bartender. If he can't think of how he'd like to remove the pain that is David Vickers from his life then maybe he had had enough to drink. After all he was John McBain. Threats and being imposing came naturally to him. They were far less meddlesome than being tired and angry.

Sighing he rubbed his hands over his face and walked out. He had things to do, clues to go over, Laurence to find, and maybe, just maybe he could get a full night of sleep.

* * *

"Yeah, Harmon says that his beloved daddy won't do a thing that'll incriminate him." The man snorts as he walks along the pines. "Yeah that's what I said. He's delusional. I say we pay pops a visit and handl-" The man not watching where he is going bumps into a young boy. "Hey, watch where you're going punk!" He hisses but he gives the boy an assessing look. He's tall, and looks to be about 11 or so with smiling dark eyes. Makes him think of Tate the first time he joined their ranks. Innocent, good-looking and with an air that could have grannies giving away their pension just for a sweet smile, but he sees more just like he did with Tate. Even in the night he can see the pain in the boys dark eyes, pain that makes it easier to welcome people into the fold.

"Sorry, sir." The boy said with a rather friendly smile. "Next time I will." He gave him a slight nod before skipping off.

"Hey, wait!" He wants to talk to the boy, something about the kid said he would be worth knowing. Maybe worthy for their cause. But the boy is already gone. Shaking his head the man bends down to pick up his cellular phone, it had fallen when he and the boy had bumped into each other and luckily it wasn't broken. Standing up and making to place his phone in his shirt pocket, the same place that he put his wallet, he realized that his wallet was gone. "Why the fucking punk!"

The man growls and starts to a run. He doesn't know whether to laugh or be pissed. Sticky fingers, that could be useful, however, that also meant that the kid was poor. Probably some dirt scum, possibly interracial too and that would be the last thing they needed. Best find the kid and find out.

If he was worthy, he'd offer him a place to stay and some food. If not ...

-----

Rubbing his hand through his face John is secretly glad that he had decided to walk towards the bar. He didn't think he would be able to drive at the moment and he wouldn't have wanted to leave it there overnight. Deciding against calling a cab he decided to take a rare moment and enjoy the warm weather, perhaps it would help him to clear his mind.

"Darn it!" He heard a young voice yell before speeding right by him.

Raising a curious brow he watched the kid go. He hesitated only for a moment before deciding that while it was none of his damn business and he was tired as heck, the kid seemed to have been running from something or someone. It was his responsibility to make sure the kid wasn't in danger.

Growling low in the back of his throat John turned to follow the kid only to feel that his foot had stepped on something. A wallet?

Bending down John picked it up; as he stood up he turned when he heard the sound of feet. A man was approaching him and he didn't look very happy.

"This yours?" John asked, his curious brow back up.

"Yeah, thanks." The man said. Though he didn't sound particularly happy.

"Right." John answered before walking away. He had done his good deed for the day, now it was time to try and sleep.

The man watched as the cop left. Detective John McBain. Infamous for getting his guy and always being on top of a case. The man was glad that John hadn't questioned him and in turn he was happy that he remembered seeing the cop's face. It would have been strange asking him in which direction the boy had gone since he had gotten his wallet back and Tate had told him that McBain was easily suspicious.

Shame though, the man thought as he looked around realizing there was no way he would catch up with the kid now, something about that kid ... Something about that boy made him think that the kid would be important to keep an eye on.

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"Let you out of my eye sight for five seconds!" Katrina yelled at her brother more at of fear than anger. "And you manage to get yourself chased across the entire park!" J

oseph Daniel rolled his eyes at his sisters dramatics, "It wasn't the entire park." He countered with a teasing smile. The look she sent him told him that she didn't find the situation even the tiniest bit humorous. Shame that, cause he found it funny. Especially since he hadn't gotten caught. "Relax, sis." JD said with a roll of his eyes when her glare didn't let up. "I managed to get a good eighty dollars. Sixty-seven from the first guy and thirty-three something from the second guy. Enough for a HUGE supper and some breakfast tomorrow. AAAAAND! And, we can save the rest of our money for a bed and a cot. Come on, you know you don't wanna sleep on the floor." His tone needled. "And you are really hungry."

"I'm really hungwy." Delilah muttered.

"You see!" JD grinned. "I did good. And I didn't get caught."

"But they saw your face." His sister protested, not wanting to give up her worry.

"No they didn't. It was too dark. Sis, stop worrying about it. I didn't get caught let that be enough. Come on. I for one am darned hungry."

Katrina gave her brother one last stern look before sighing. "Fine. Just be more careful next time."

"I will." He quickly promised, paying more attention to his grumbling stomach than to her warning. "So where to?"

"There's a diner, in Angel Square. I saw it on the phone book. We'll go there and go to a motel."

JD nodded. He didn't really care where the motel was as long as he got to go to bed with a full stomach for once and not sleep on floor.


	3. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I know I said that Katerina would be eighteen soon in the prologue but it would suit the story in many ways if she was fourteen instead of 16, 17. So I changed it :-D

Which means Joseph Daniel is seven but he's smart for seven (well he was smart for nine so he's smartER for seven lol) but Delilah is still three.

-The Cranes and Harmony belong to the show Passions which currently belongs to NBS (but will move to DirectTV cause NBC is DUMB) and the Fosters(is that their last name or is it Forrester? I never remember) belong to Y and R which is I have no idea which channel cause I don't watch it, hardly ever.

Everything in this chapter is mine except anyone you recognize. It's all very OCish but goes with the story and hopefully not only explains things but furthers the plot.

AN2: The first part of this is a bit … sick. At least I think so. I was disgusted with myself when I finished but I think it fits in showing this guy is as bad if not worse than Spencer Truman, worse than Todd and Miles put together and much more charming. It has a tiny bit of language.

* * *

_Small (miniscule really) Southern Mid-west town_

Randall Flack was a handsome man. Tall, with dark reddish hair that fell forward over his eyes and over the collar of his shirt giving him a boyish quality. He had large green-gray eyes aided in the soften his strong jaw and his patrician nose. His body was long and sculpted from playing tennis and hockey in high school and college but mostly from ten years in law enforcement. He had a smile that could melt the hardest of hearts and a way about him the garnered trust and respect. He was a fair man, and a sharp one. He was also a man used to getting what he wanted.

The Porsche in his driveway? His father had given it to him.

His position of Sheriff? A few currently placed checks and presents, as much as his skills.

He himself? The second child of one of the richest families in the country. Richer the Hiltons and not to far from the Buchanans and the Cranes and the Forresters. He liked sunsets, watching football, his steak medium rare, he hated racism and people who were bigots about sexuality and religion but he was a republican, he went to church two Sundays and three Thursdays, he always paid his bills on time and hoped one day to run for Mayor. He loved his sleepy little town and while he used his parents' money, he didn't want it to define him.

Randall Flack was an all around great guy. With redeeming qualities if you asked those who mattered. He was a finicky man though, he tried not to be but there it was. He preferred satellite over cable. His eggs had to beaten precisely six times, no more and no less. He could tell. He preferred his walls off-white to white and liked his lawn mowed left from right and never the other way around. He liked sky blue over powdered blue and always had to sit facing the door no matter where he was. He didn't know why but he was just particular like that. He had his quirks but he felt they defined him. Like the fact that he liked little girls. Little boys too. No younger than three and no older than twelve. He supposed it wasn't truly a quirk but a taste. Like how some people like there wine white over red and with ice in it.

As picky as he could be he was pretty general when he got what he wanted. His eggs could be served as an omelet and with mushrooms or with onions and cheese. His hedges could be trimmed any way the neighborhood kid doing it that week wanted. And they could be six, ten, three, blonde, brunette, Chinese, Cuban. See? Not fussy at all.

He was a fair man. Fair in his arrests. Fair with his frigid wife. Fair to anyone who allowed it. He was fair to them, the little children. He was a friend to them and he protected them and them everything they wanted. As long as they didn't say anything he was always fair. He was a good foster father to them, if they gave him what he wanted. They usually did. Until recently. Sadly.

He couldn't really blame it on the children. It wasn't their fault that the government had given them to him when he hadn't wanted them. Them the thirteen, fourteen now, year old girl and the stupid little boy who had never been vulnerable enough for his tastes. He hadn't wanted them and tried to allude that he hadn't wanted them but child services had started to get suspicious. So, he kept them and he took care of them. He was fair to them, everyone thought he was fair with them. He was fair father to them. Nevertheless, how did they repay him? By running away. Not that he minded that troublesome teenager and the idiot boy had run away. Good riddance he says. Good freaking riddance. What just managed to get in his craw was that they had taken the little girl with them. Delilah, the lovely little thing with her sleepy gray eyes and soft and dark burgundy hair, was gone. Taken from right under his nose.

He didn't know how she had managed to do it seeing how he had turn everyone in town against her. Against her mean and nasty words about him. It really was a tiny town and he really was a beloved figure and she really should have known better than to go about spitting nasty things out about him. No one believed her. Moreover, those who did? Well he was Sheriff. Who the hell would they report him to? Child Services? He didn't think so.

He didn't know how she had done it but he had to say he was really impressed. Really impressed.

He'd never realized how smart and calculating the little troublesome teenager was. Really impressed.

Maybe when he got them back he would be nicer to her. Yes, he would have to be MUCH nicer to her. He was sure she'd like that. He and her and his little Delilah would make such a pretty little family.

And the slow little boy? TZ. KP? Whatever his name was … Well it wasn't his fault he was so dumb for a seven year old. Not his fault he wasn't good enough for his time. However, he would keep him. For his wife. His loyal little wife. She saw AE as the little boy she was never able to give him. As if he would spawn anything so idiotic but if JD was what she wanted then he was what she would get. She deserved a present.

Like for how she lied to the state police for him. Telling them that that little bitch of a teenager wasn't all there and how she'd taken his poor little Delilah and slow little KC away from them. He would have to change that now, with reconsideration, since the poor little teenager would be his now too. One of the police officers had been very sympathetic to their plight but the other … The other had been skeptical. He had wanted to talk to the townspeople. See if their story was true.

He would see that the townspeople would back up the story. The teenager, Katey was it?, had ran away with Delilah and JD, wasn't it?, despite how kind he, Randall, and his wife had been to her. He would get the same story from everyone. Well almost everyone. No matter though.

If the police wouldn't bring his children back then he'd get them himself.

And do whatever he had to do to find them.

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Two Weeks Later: Monday. August 6th, 2007

"Mmmm. Mmmm. Bish eee goob."

Katerina's lips quirked up in amusement as she watched her little brother scarf down five, or seven, fries at a time. He had already finished his and was attacking hers with much gusto. She wasn't really hungry and besides he needed some meat on his gangly, thin bones. "So you've said three times, four now, in the past thirty minutes."

JD lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug as he took a large bite out of her double-cheeseburger,

"Buh ih eee."

Rina rolled her eyes, "If I didn't know it for myself, the way you're acting would have clued me in." Amusement was still coloring her tone as she said that. "And don't eat with your mouth full."

Taking a large sip of soda to easily smooth down the passage of the food, the seven year old gave his sister a wide grin. "Sorry." He didn't sound very sorry at all. However, 'Rina didn't mind that he wasn't.

She liked that he was eating so much. He barely used to eat at the Flack's and he had been too skinny by far. He had been just big enough not to be malnourished but not at all the size a boy his age should be. So truly, he could talk with his mouth full all that he wanted as long as he ate. She just couldn't help but reprimand him and remind him of his manners; it was probably the big sister in her. The same thing in her that hated that all they could afford was junk food because they didn't have enough money for real groceries let alone to eat in restaurants. Not that JD minded. He took to junk food the way a fish took to water. Delilah did too. They hadn't been allowed to eat junk food at the Flack's … that is when they had been allowed to eat. Leticia wasn't much of a cook and was as good as grocery shopping as she was at motherhood. Luckily, Katerina had a skill for it and Randall had let her go shopping once a month to get food. It was probably one of his rare moments of decency but more than likely it had to do with the fact that he got hungry too than caring for them. However, she had learned long time ago not to be choosy about silly facts like that. It was better to be choosy over the fact that she was regretting running away. Ha, imagine that. She was missing 'home'. Okay, not so much i missing /i it. However, she couldn't helped but think they would have been safer at the Flack's she would have known what dangers to expect. They would have had food and clean clothes. They had spent the past two weeks living in a shady motel, rotating between three changes of clothing each, and trying to stay as much of out of sight as possible.

"You sure you don't want some?" JD asked as he loudly slurping whatever last drop of soda he could reach with his straw. He didn't realize that he had a rather large glob ketchup curving up from the corner of his mouth and up to his cheek.

"Yeah. I'm sure." She noticed it. The sight of it made her smile and erased those stupid thoughts that had been bothering her since the moment they had left in the dead of the night. There was a reason they were here in Llanview, not only to run away from Randall, this was the right thing for them. Somehow, she just knew it, even if she was scared beyond her mind. And while they were becoming short on cash that wouldn't last for long, "I'm thinking of getting a job." Katerina noticed the frown on her brother's face and continued speaking, not giving him a chance to voice the arguments she knew he was thinking. "It's at that diner that serves the great food, the one we went to our first night in town. Carlotta's. She's looking for a waitress and someone to do the dishes. I could do both. I can show her that I could do both. She seems like she's a fair boss if we explain the situation without really telling her anything I am sure she'll give me good hours . Maybe not right away but soon." She rushed out, cutting him off when he opened his mouth more than likely to protest the idea. "And after a few months pay we could get ourselves a better room, half a year or so of careful saving could maybe mean an apartment. A few weeks some clothes. And it's a popular diner, so lot's of tips and people always gossip. I'm sure I'd fine someone who would know town history." Rina paused and took in a breath before asking, "What do you think?"

"I think you're nuts." JD spat out, his brows etching in a type of frown that a boy shouldn't have until he was at least thirty. "She's going to ask for references you don't have. Are you going to lie about your name? Can't give her your real one, because she'll find out. Then she'll send us back. She WILL send us back." He cut off his sister's immediate protest. "She would have no choice. And what about Del, whose going to stay with Del? Me? I don't even look like I'm seven! And don't you think it's going to seem a i little /i weird that some strange out of towner is asking questions about who slept with who fourteen years ago?"

"What do you expect me to do? How else am I going find out who my birthparents are?!"

Ahh, yes the real reason why they were in Llanview, instead of going to Savannah or Port Charles or better yet the MANY miles from their 'home' Harmony, Massachusetts. Fourteen years ago, two people had an illicit affair and gave birth to one Katerina-Aurora Isabelle. At least she thinks it was an illicit affair. There was only so much one could find out from accidentally found birth certificate and the Internet. All she knew was her mother's name was Katherine V. S., from Pennsylvania. A careful, pleading call to the local child services and lots of Google and Yahoo searches had to here. It had lead to Llanview with the only additional fact that her birth mother had two more a's in her name. One after the V and one after the S. That was all the case worker had been able to tell her, that and her mother had been scared. Scared of what? Who knew. But there had been only two Katherine V. S. in Pennsylvania and both of them had been in Lancaster. So JD had suggested Llanview. If you were someone to hide, you would pick the least obvious place. It was so obvious. Besides if they were wrong, they could always take a train to Lancaster. "How else are we going to keep paying for this room? Feeding ourselves? I need this job!"

"No you don't. You can find out in quieter ways. Like looking it up in the library. Like we did before. Look how far that got us. And I think we're doing fine with the way I get the money." JD points out stubbornly.

Katerina let out a derisive snort. "Oh yes, pick-pocketing. For someone who was just harping about quieter ways you sure picked the best way to make honest cash." She instantly regretted her sarcastic words when she saw the pain flash through his blue eyes. However, she had a point to make. This wasn't about pride, this was about what they had to do to be safe. While she had hated the fact that he had been stealing she had allowed it because they had needed it but now with this potential job it would no longer be necessary. She understood that her little brother wanted to feel useful and that he was taking care of them he had to understand for once that it was okay to act his age and let other, older people (even if she was barely seven years his elder) worry.

"It may not be honest or best," he angrily bit out as he deliberately stood up and started cleaning in jerky motions that belied his hurt. "but at least we were fed and we had someplace to sleep. AND we had enough money to do laundry."

Katerina wisely didn't point out that was moot point since they didn't have much laundry to do in the first place. "I know Joe, I do know. And I am so thankful to you for that. But it isn't SAFE I don't want you doing this anymore if we don't have to."

"Who says that we don't. You might not even get the job! You're getting your hopes up for nothing. I'm being realistic."

But you're SEVEN she wanted to cry out. She wasn't sure what stamped the light out of him more. The fact that Randall might find them any moment or the fact that they had to live like this because she 'hoped' that her birth parents or their relatives were alive and would help out. Maybe both. Maybe something else but she really hated it and if she could do something that could take some of that worry away she would. That was a reason why she HAD to have that job. "Yeah? Realistic?"

"Yes!" He glared harshly at her. "Realistic?"

"How realistic," she asked quietly. "is the situation out there? Members of a hate group could still very well be out there. A kidnapper's accomplice IS out there. And a blackmailer just walked free, with tons of money at his disposal and apparently willing to do anything to hide his secrets. You watch the news as much as I do. You listen to the gossip. Now tell me how realistic the danger is."

JD seemed to hesitate. "The chances of me running into that Hunter guy are slim. The chances of me running into an OPP member are even slimmer."

"Is it? That Adrianna girl was housing an arsonist. What makes you think that you won't pick the pockets of the wrong person and get hurt?"

His jaw clenched and his eyes flashed with defiance.

Katerina raised a brow and merely said, "You're the reasonable one. What would Del and I do if you got hurt?"

Both their eyes slid to the three year old sleeping with as much of a pillow she could wrap her arms around, her Pull Up clad rump up in the air as her little nose twitched at a dream.

It was as of hot air was let out of a balloon. All of JD's bluster left him. "I ... I just want to take care of you two. I .. I didn't before a-and I wanted to be useful. I want to be ... I'm not going to be a burd-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence Joseph Daniels!" Katerina scolded sharply.

Lost blue eyes blinked slowly at her in confusion and in sorrow, and in defeat.

And instantly she was out of her chair and her arms were around him. Even as she mentally cursed their foster father for the number he had done on this little boy. "You will never, EVER be a burden. And you always, always take care of us more than you have to and I am grateful that you do and that you try, but sweetie, you need to breathe. It's okay to relax; it doesn't make you weak or not useful." She sighed when JD laid his head on her shoulder and allowed her to comfort him. "You're always useful. You're my common sense and you know how much I always need one of those." That got the chuckle she had been looking for. "And you're the best one I've ever met. That's why you know this job is a good idea."

He sighed. He didn't like it but she was right. It was a good idea."I suppose we'll find a way. Del and I could hang near by, so you can keep an eye on us." And he could keep an eye on her, he mentally added. Which he had to admit he couldn't really do while he was relieving people of their wallets and pocketbooks. "And we could come up with credible references. I don't think she will really look into it, especially if we play the street urchin thing. But we would have to change our names."

"Yes scheming calculating one." She laughed, but her voice was tinged with amusement.

JD found himself smiling, "You had better recognize."

Katerina gave her brother one last squeeze, as she laughed harder, before pulling away. "I will get that job." She said firmly, this time more to comfort herself than him. "And I will make this work. I promise. And you know I never make promises I can't keep."

JD nodded smiling again. Slighter this time but no less genuine than the last. It was true, she never did do that. She had promised that they would make it safe and sound and there they were. Safe and sound. Not in the best conditions but she had kept her promise, as she always did. So he was willing, maybe, to have some hope. If only this one time.

-----

She went that very same day to ask for the job, and she had got it. It had been that simple, okay, maybe not THAT simple but it had been easier than she had thought; most definitely easier than JD had thought. She had went, to library printed out a mock resume filled out a name. Elizabeth A. Livingston. It had sounded nice and had been the name of her only friend back at The Place. Elizabeth, she had always liked the name and any variation of it . Lisbeth, Isabella. They were lovely strong names. Way better than Katerina. Therefore, she used the name.

The woman, Carlotta, looked it over, looked her over and had given her the job. Katerina hadn't even had to tell about JD or Delilah, or Jacob and Delaney if anyone asked. It was as if Carlotta had just seen it all in her eyes, as if she knew what she was going through. She had even given her an advance check. Katerina had never worked a day in her life, well at least not in a real job but she was sure that bosses didn't do that. Just give you a job and a check and say with a loving smile, that made you want to tell them the world and bring them the stars, to be to work as early as possible. It was all Katerina could do was not to burst into tears and hug her. Pathetic really. But she knew that Carlotta wouldn't have minded. It was obvious that in the way she tilted her head and gave you that soft smile and talked in that voice that sounded like she actually cared. It was obvious that Carlotta Vega was this type of sweet, motherish person. And there was something _about_ her that made Katerina comfortable. Which was weird because she was suspicious of everyone. She wasn't as good at reading people as JD was so it was safer to put everyone in a distance. But there it was ... She really couldn't explain it.

It didn't really matter anyway. She had the job. She was starting the next day, now had money for a shirt for her and a couple for her siblings and for some real food. She was closer to finding her real family and she was thinking of ways to guilt the hell out of them. Best of all she and her siblings were far away from harm.


End file.
